The Desert Willow - February 11, 2004
Jeff Schalau, County Director, Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources
Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County


The desert willow (Chilopsis linearis) is an excellent drought tolerant tree for north central Arizona. Desert willow is not a willow at all, but a close relative of the catalpa tree and a member of the trumpet vine family (Bignoniaceae). This deciduous, native tree/shrub can be found along dry washes and seasonal creeks in desert, chaparral, and grassland habitats between 1,500 and 5,000 foot elevations. It is hardy to 0 degrees F and requires little water once established.

The desert willow is very graceful with an airy, open canopy. Hence, it does not make dense shade or a highly effective windbreak, but makes it a good choice in areas where security is a concern. In the wild, they can grow to 20 feet tall by 20 feet wide. With irrigation, they can get slightly larger. Desert willows are usually multi-trunked, but they can be pruned to a single trunk if desired.

The narrow, curving leaves are between 3 and 5 inches long and 1/4 to 1 inch wide. They look very graceful but have a surprisingly tough, leathery texture. Desert willows are best known for their showy flowers. These appear in clusters on branch tips from late spring to early summer and can vary in color from white to deep purple. Normally, they are off-white to pale lavender with yellow spots or stripes in the throat of the trumpet-shaped blossoms. With some additional irrigation, they can bloom through September. In addition, the flowers have a sweet fragrance that attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Long, narrow seedpods form after blooms have died. These persist on the tree through the winter and split open to release hundreds of fuzzy seeds. The seeds are viable and may germinate in a moist seedbed. I suppose, if there is a downside to desert willow, it is the pods and seeds. Excessively orderly gardeners may think them untidy.

Being a native, the desert willow has relatively few pests or diseases. Aphids may appear on the new leaves and blossoms in the spring. These can be treated with a high pressure spray. If they are really bad, then mix 1 TBSP dish detergent with a gallon of water and spray it on. Better yet, let the natural predators and hummingbirds eat them. Cicadas can also cause twig damage. Desert willows are also reported to be somewhat resistant to Texas Root Rot: a common disease in our area.

Nurseries have selected individuals from the wild, cloned them, and market these cultivars as named varieties that have showier flowers or smaller stature. Some of the newer varieties are "Barranco", "Burgundy Lace", "White Star", "Pink Star", "Lucretia Hamilton", "Warren Jones", and "Lois Adams" (a podless variety). There is also a Chitalpa (Chitalpa tashkentensis): a hybrid between the desert willow and the catalpa (Catalpa bignonoides). It was bred in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

If you would like to learn about other water conserving trees for our area, get a copy of the University of Arizona Publication: Drought Tolerant Trees for Mid-Elevation Deserts (3,000 to 4,000 ft). It is available on-line at: cals.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/az1239.pdf or you may pick up a copy at the Cottonwood Cooperative Extension Office.

The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension has publications and information on gardening and pest control. If you have other gardening questions, call the Master Gardener line in the Cottonwood office at 646-9113 ext. 14 or E-mail us at mgardener@verdeonline.com and be sure to include your address and phone number. Find past Backyard Gardener columns or submit column ideas at the Backyard Gardener web site: cals.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/.

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Arizona Cooperative Extension
Yavapai County
840 Rodeo Dr. #C
Prescott, AZ 86305
(928) 445-6590
Last Updated: July 16, 2009
Content Questions/Comments: jschalau@ag.arizona.edu
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